The branch of medicine that studies and treats cancer.
From Greek "onkos" meaning "mass, bulk, tumor" and "-logy" meaning "study of." It literally means "the study of tumors."
Oncology started with doctors noticing abnormal "masses" in the body and trying to understand them. Today it’s one of the fastest-moving fields in medicine, turning the body’s own immune system into a weapon against cancer.
Oncology as a field has sometimes reflected gender biases in research priorities and clinical trials, with women’s cancers and gender‑specific impacts under‑studied or mischaracterized. Access to oncological care has also been shaped by gendered norms around whose symptoms are taken seriously.
Use gender-accurate but inclusive language (e.g., “people with prostate cancer,” “women with breast cancer,” “trans men with chest cancer”) according to individuals’ identities and the biology involved.
["cancer medicine","cancer care"]
When discussing oncology advances, highlight contributions by women oncologists, researchers, and patient advocates who have driven improvements in screening, treatment, and survivorship care.
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